Braid package



July 12 1927.

H. HEBELER. JR

BRAID PACKAGE Filed Oct. 2'7, 1924 INVENTOR ATTO NEY Patented July 12,1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICEP,

HENRY HEBELER, He, or sn'LoUIs, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR 'ro ST. LOUIS ,BRAID coin- PANY, or s'r. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION or nussoUnI.

BRAID PACKAGE.

Application filed October 27, 1924. Serial No. 746,035.

This invention relates to packages, and more particularly to an improved package for braids and the like, such as shoe-lacings and corset lacings, wherein two lacings are banded to form a pair or ultimate package, then a multiple unit of such pairs assembled and banded together in rows of piles into a minor package or holder, and a definite number of these minor packages or containers assembled or deposited into a major container or box.

In the trade these lacings' are handled by the jobber in gross lots and multiples there'- of, while the retailer ordinarily purchases in dozen lots and in turn sells to the consumer in single pairs, and to facilitate this practice in the trade the minor packages usually contain a dozen single. pairs, and the major holders a half-dozen or do'zen minor containers. whereby each unit such a pair, dozen or gross or multiple thereof may be instantly and without counting picked up and presented to the customer without disturbingthe remaining units in the box;

()ne of the objects of the present invention is to provide a minor container from which pilfering of a single pair is rendered diliicult without detection. To accomplish this object the invention consists in the provision of means whereby it is rendered difficult to remove a pair of lacings from a lower layer without first IGl'llOVlllg' one or more from the top layer or superimposed layers, the absence of a pair from the top layer being instantly noted by simply glancing at thecontainer. Such means resides-generally in a novel form of closure for the minor cons tainer, whereby access is permitted only to the ends of the single pairpackages or bundles of the top layer for the purpose of their removal, the closure covering the intermediate portion of the top of the container, and the closure being further secured to the side of the container by a novel means of interlocking; therewith, whereby unlocking is rendered difiicult, especially when the said minor containers are in side by side abutting relation in the major container or box.

Divers other objects and advantages will be apparent to others skilled in the art as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which like numbers of reference denote like parts wherever they occur,

Figure '1 is a perspective view exhibiting a box or major container with the cover removed and having therein a half-dozen minor containers of shoe-lacings;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a minor container as it appears removed from the ma o1"conta1ner, the cover or closure being shown in locked relation therewith;

Figure 3 is a similar view but showing the cover of the minor container 111 unlocked relation thereto, and with an ultimate package of a single pair of therefrom; and y V Figure 4 is a detached view of one banded pair of lacings as it appears when removed froin the minor container.

lacings partly withdrawn The lacings 1 are firstbanded in pairs preferably by a paper band 2, on which suit able characters or advertising matter may be carried. are then packed into a minor container 3, substantially rectangular in shape, being preferably arranged into three superimposed rows of four pairs each. The container 3 is preferably formed of card-board, strawboard, or other semi-flexible sheet material, and its open top is covered by a closure or flap 4, preferably formed asan integral ex- A dozen such pairs of lacings' tension from the rear side 5 of the container 3 and pivoting about the crease 6 therein. The ends 7 of the cover a terminate short of the ends 8 of the container 3, leaving openings in the top at either end for the display ofthe contents and affording access to the ends of the lacings 1 in the top layer only. The forward end of the cover f is creased at 9 and bent over at right angles into a. depending fiange 10, the intermediate portion of which enlarges downwardly into atongue 11, having a restricted neck 12, and an en larged terminus or head 13. The tongue 11 is adapted to engage a slit 14 formed in the front wall 15 of the container 3, as best shown in Figure 2, the upper portion of the ton ue abutting against the outer side of the wall 15 and the lower portion against its inner side. The head 13 of the tongue is wider than the chord across the slit 14, and the neck 12 is narrower in width than the.

same.

The tongue 11, however, is split longituice dinally at 16, whereby the head 13 is rendered collapsible in Width, the split 16 permitting the split portions of the tongue to overlap upon pressure between the fingers of the packer, and the collapsed head may then be introduced into the slit I l, spread ing out again automatically after passage thercthrough when released and held be tween the contents 1 and the Wall 15 ot the container. The containers 3 are then placed side by side in abut-ting relation in the major container or box 17. When the box 17 is full, no access is afforded to the tongues 11, on account of the abutting relation of -the minor containers and any opening of the closures 4 is practically prevented. Furthermore, if a container 3 be removed, its cover 4 is not easily opened Without detornr ing the tongue 11 or the slit 14. 7 And Without opening the cover 4;, it is extremely ditficult to remove lacings from any but the top layer, the absence of any lacings from the top layer being readily detected at a glance.

It will be obvious that divers modifications or refinements of this invention may be made Without materially departing from the principles involved. For example, the units oi merchandise need not necessarily be confined to shoe-lacings, nor need the ultimate unit be a pair, nor the minor holder contain a dozen pair, nor the major holder a half-dozen minor holders, but any other suitable plural units may be employed.

Having thus described this invention, I hereby reserve the benefit of all changes in form, arrangement, order, or use of parts, as it is cvident that many minor changes may be made therein Without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope ot the following claim.

I claim:

A container substantially rectangular in shape, formed of semi-flexible material having an open top and an integral closure projecting from one side thereof, the ends of the closure terminating short of the ends of the container, whereby openings remain at either end of the top when the latter is spanned by the said closure, the opposite side Wall of the container containing a slit, said closure having an integral depending flange engaging said side Wall and terminating in a tongue adapted to engage the said slit, said tongue having a neck narrower than the slit and a terminating head Wider than the slit, and the said head being split to render the same collapsible in Width.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

HENRY HEBELER, JR. 

